1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to a system and method for estimating network management bandwidth. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for mapping customer requirements to device type categories and calculating a network management bandwidth using bandwidth requirements for each device type category.
2. Description of the Related Art
Internet growth of business-to-business and business-to-consumer transactions is increasing requirements for reliable, efficient, and resilient networks. In order for a business to be successful, it is imperative for a business's computer network to remain functioning. Computer networks are monitored and managed to ensure a business's computer network functionality. By monitoring and managing computer networks, issues may be resolved before the issues create business problems. For example, a malfunctioning router may be detected and taken offline before the malfunctioning router creates network problems for the business or the business's customers.
Often times, a third party at a remote location performs network management. When developing a strategy and communications infrastructure to monitor and manage a business's network, the third party attempts to estimate a suitable communications link to accommodate the network monitoring and management traffic. Network monitoring and management traffic may include Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) requests and replies, and administrative traffic for administration and hardware troubleshooting (i.e. telnet and remote control).
A challenge found, however, is that a third party may choose a communications link that is inadequate in an attempt to minimize costs at the risk of limiting the bandwidth to a point that the network management tools do not perform necessary operations in a timely and efficient manner.
Furthermore, a challenge found is that a third party may choose a communications link that is excessive in order to ensure that ample bandwidth is available. However, this approach results in provisioning more bandwidth than is actually required which translates to unnecessary re-occurring charges from a communications link service provider.
What is needed, therefore, is a system and method for estimating network management bandwidth such that suitable bandwidth is available for network management without incurring excessive bandwidth costs.